France to lure more RI tourists

France is expecting more Indonesian tourists as the tourism board and the private sector, including airlines and retailers, step up efforts to promote the European country.

Maison de la France, or the French Tourism Board, for example, recently launched a sales kit into the Southeast Asian market so that travel agents can better sell France.

"We expect travel agents can use this kit to give detailed information to prospective guests," the board's Southeast Asia director, Frederic Meyer, told The Jakarta Post recently.

Meyer was speaking during a tour, which also included Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore, where professionals from France met with their Southeast Asian counterparts in order to better sell France.

The workshop with media was held Thursday, while the meeting with travel professionals was held Friday.

In another effort of the French to tap into the Indonesian market, Galeries Lafayette has just launched a map of Paris in Indonesian.

"I have just got the maps from the printers. This maps will be distributed by travel agents to guests who are leaving for France," said marketing and promotion manager Asia Caroline de Maisonneuve.

Both Meyer and de Maisonneuve said it was quite difficult to track the number of Indonesians visiting France due to the presence of the Schengen visa scheme.

"But we know that there at least 13,000 to 14,000 visa requests per year, so there could be some 40,000 Indonesians visiting France," Meyer said.

De Maisonneuve said it was also difficult to track the number of Indonesians visiting Galeries Lafayette stores because there was no specific records unless customers used credit cards or applied for tax deductions.

Gerda Lascombe, international sales manager of Printemps department store, estimated that Indonesians ranked 15th on the number of guests visiting the up-scale establishments.

"The Indonesian average spending is some 500 euros, but this is only from recorded transactions," she said.

"We cannot track those paying in cash and not applying for tax deductions."

The tour also brought representatives from Rail Europe 4A, a joint venture of French and Swiss national railways, and Air France KLM.

Air France does not have a direct route linking Paris with Jakarta, but there is a daily flight to and from Bangkok and Singapore. Another option is using sister company KLM serving Jakarta with Amsterdam via Kuala Lumpur.

First published on The Jakarta Post on Thursday, Sept. 4, 2008

That call

It was Aug. 5, a Sunday. I was just having lunch at about 3 p.m. at the office when two of my uncles called me. They told me that my father was sick in Cibatu, Garut. They wanted me to go home a.s.a.p.

What?

I just called home (in Bandung) on Saturday and there were no signs that he was ill. I called home right away.

"Bapak is in Cibatu with mother and grand pa," said my younger brother Pitra.

I couldn't get my mom or my grand pa's home in Cibatu. After some more calls, my youngest uncle broke the news.

"Your father has just died."

.....

.....

.....

Finally I got my mom. She broke in tears telling the news over the phone.

While grieving for the loss, I thank God for taking him in Cibatu and not while driving home to Bandung. My parents were about to leave Cibatu when my dad felt a chest pain.

I was told later that it was a swift, sudden death. Most likely caused by a heart attack, presumably painless.

My mom said he could see that my dad's eyes dried up and she saw that final breath.

He was 65. We held the burial service on Monday morning at my mom's family funeral in Cibatu.

Innalillahi wa inna ilaihi roji'un.

Allahumaghfirlahu, warhamhu, wa afini wa fu anhu.

I'm in Changi, again

Here I am again spending two hours or so in Changi waiting for my next flight.

This time bound for Nagoya to visit Toyota's plant and headquarters on Thursday. Then off to Fukuoka to visit Daihatsu's plant in nearby Oita on Friday. And some shopping. Saturday to Osaka for Universal Studio Japan before leaving for Jakarta via Singapore on Sunday.

Such a hectic schedule. I can't promise you that I will post something so soon.

See ya all.

Welcome to Baqa'a Refugee Camp

Just came across this blog Welcome to Baqa'a Refugee Camp. It tells about the sufferings of the Palestinians under the heathen Zionist regime.

I wonder what makes the current Great Satan George Wacko Bullshit and all his predecessors pour endless stream of money for this worse-than-Nazi regime.

Once I read that the Great Satan's administration channels US$1.2 billion in military aid and another US$1.8 billion in economy aid to the heathen regime. Not so bad for a leading human rights abuser. Oh btw, the "never bite the hands that feed you" is not applicable as the Zionist regime has several times bitten the hands, if not fully chopped, the Great Satan's hands.

I wish Indonesia could someday exert its prowess by blackmailing the Great Satan's administration in the same way. Well the Great Satan has robbed us of our minerals, no?

It is just pathetic that SBY is willing to play a servant role to the Great Satan. The latest example is the Great Satan's visit on Monday with its excessive security arrangement made forcibly by the Great Satan's Secret Service.

Hmmm, isn't it interesting that Secret Service' abreviation is SS which was also the abbreviation for the feared Nazi special unit Schutztaffel.

Stopping by in Changi

I have another hour before my flight to Bandar Seri Begawan. Thanks God Changi has plenty of free internet terminals. Food courts. Etc, etc.

While eating Double Rendang from Burger King, I managed to activate the International Roaming features of my Simpati prepaid card. I could send and receive sms but I cannot make any phone calls. Luckily I can receive calls. Got one from Barbara.

As for the Double Rendang burger, it's nothing like the good ol' rendang. Just the sauce/gravy I could recall of something rendang-like. But it;s more like those Indian curry.

I am on a two-week assignment helping pak Rikza and mds to shape up the editorial team of The Brunei Times.

I flew with Garuda Indonesia from Jakarta and will fly Royal Brunei to Bandar Seri Begawan.

It's gonna be a two-week of working hard. But rewarding hehehe.

See ya in Bandar Seri Begawan.